General Orders
by Lizzie DiNozzo
Summary: A not-so random attack on a Georgetown street leaves Tony fighting for his life and Gibbs and the team at a loss for what to do. Features the whole team minus Shepherd/Jimmy Palmer.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **General Orders  
**Word Count: ****  
****Rating:** PG-13 to be safe, for slight language.  
**Characters: **Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Tony DiNozzo  
**Genre: **Hurt/Comfort, Hurt!Tony, Family Dynamic (Team as Family)  
**Spoilers: **Mentions of SWAK, Twilight  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own 'em, I just like to borrow 'em every now and then. Especially Tony. Yum.  
**Summary: **A (not-so)random attack on a Georgetown street leaves Tony fighting for his life and Gibbs and the team at a loss for what to do.

_A/N: So I like the whole "You will not die" order that Gibbs gives to Tony in SWAK, and wanted to try my hand at it, but after realizing there are currently a gazillion SWAK fics, I took the general idea and tweaked it just a bit. This is the result. Hope you enjoy, and remember, comments/critiques are always appreciated! =D__  
_

"You'll call, right?"

"Of course," came the casual assurance as Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo leaned over to press a kiss to the beautiful blonde's lips.

"Do you really have to go?" She asked earnestly, her fingers grasping for the collar on his shirt, desperate to keep him close.

"If I want to live," he responded dryly, giving her his patented million-watt smile. "I promise I'll call. We'll make plans for this weekend."

"Okay," she responded dejectedly, releasing him from her grasp. "But you _swear_, cross your heart and hope to die, that you'll call?"

A boyish grin replaced his best movie-star smile and leaned down to kiss her again. "I pinky promise," he said, holding his hand up, wiggling his little finger at her.

With a grin that rivaled his own, she wrapped her finger around his and shook on it. "I'm holding you to that, DiNozzo."

~*~

Stepping out of the apartment complex with a grin on his face, Tony hoisted his pack up a little higher on his shoulder as he dug his cell phone out of his pocket. He was fairly sure that if Ziva and the Probie caught him strolling back into work in the same suit he'd left in, he'd never hear the end of it, but it was a beautiful freakin' morning and he couldn't exactly bring himself to care.

Especially when he dialed the familiar number and heard that sweet voice in his ear. "I promised you I'd call," he said by way of greeting. Her musical laugh tinkled in his ear, and just the sound of it was enough to make his grin widen. "So how about those plans for this weekend?" He asked.

"We'll see," she responded dryly, though he could hear the smile in her voice. "What exactly did you have in mind?"

"Well, I was thinking a little dinner, maybe a movie, and definitely a repeat of last night," he teased.

"Oh yeah? I think I could definitely go for that." He could practically see her shudder with anticipation, if the tone of her voice was anything to go by.

"Alright," he said, checking his watch as he approached his car, "I'm just about to the 'Stang so I'll call you later, alright?"

"I doubt that," she responded, and suddenly, all traces of humor were gone from her voice. "Tony? I'm really sorry about this," was the last thing he heard before a hand clamped down on his shoulder. Turning, eyes wide, he barely registered the angry scowl on the otherwise beautiful face before a blinding pain seared through his abdomen.

He sank down to his knees, hands grasping for handle of the serated blade currently lodged in his body. "Gibbs..." was all he managed before the warm blood bubbled forth from his lips, the darkness overcoming him.

~*~

"Where the hell is DiNozzo?" Gibbs growled for what McGee realized was the fifth time that morning. While it wasn't unusual for DiNozzo to come strolling in five or ten minutes late, this was pushing it. It had been over an hour since they'd reported for duty and no one had seen or heard from Tony.

"He is not answering his home or cell phone, Gibbs," Ziva responded, slamming the phone down after another failed attempt to contact the senior field agent. "Perhaps he spent the night with one of his women and lost track of time, yes?" McGee didn't miss the irritated look on the Israeli's face at the thought.

"Has anyone heard from Tony?" came a worried voice from the direction of the elevator as Abby stepped out, her face a mask of worry. "He hasn't answered any of my texts and he didn't even send me an email! I'm worried, Gibbs. Like really, really worried. Tony _always_ answers my texts, even if he's busy. This isn't like him!"

"Ziva," Gibbs barked, and while his voice was gruff, McGee was certain it was out of concern rather than irritation, "get over to his place. Make sure no one's gone 'Fatal Attraction' on him." McGee was positive that Tony, had he been there, would have been proud of Gibbs' casual movie reference.

With a nod, Ziva stood from her desk and grabbed her pack that was lying at her feet before she stalked off towards the elevator, her posture rigid. "Uh... boss, do you maybe um... want me to go with her?"

"Did I _tell_ you to go with her, McGee?"

"N-no, boss."

"Then what does that tell you?"

"That you don't want me to go with her."

"Very good, McGee. I guess that MIT degree paid off after all," he spat angrily as he stood up, throwing his coffee cup in the trash. "I'm going for more coffee," he growled. "You call me the minute you hear from DiNozzo," he ordered.

"Right boss," McGee responded with a nod, but he was already talking to Gibbs' retreating back. Once the elevator doors dinged shut, he let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and his shoulders slumped slightly. Abby wrapped her arms around him from behind, her head resting on his shoulder.

"He doesn't mean to snap at you," she assured him. "He's just worried about Tony."

"Yeah," he responded with a nod as he patted her hands. "Yeah, I know Abs. As much as I hate to admit it... I am too."

~*~

The first thing he was aware of were the hands touching him; constantly touching him, poking and prodding and why the hell did they have to keep touching him? Didn't they realize how much it hurt? It felt like his body was on fire and there was nothing he could do to alleviate the burn.

_This must be what Hell feels like_, he decided as the voices that had been shouting in the distance grew closer and louder.

"...hear me?"

"...the OR, have them prep and..."

"...any ID?"

"...NCIS."

At the sound of those four letters, his eyes snapped open and he gasped for air when the harsh lights assaulted his eyes.

"Whoa, whoa!" One of the paramedics shouted, a hand going to chest when he began to struggle. Eyes wide, he concentrated all of his strength into grabbing the man's arm.

"Gibbs..." he managed before he lost the battle once more.

~*~

"Well did you check with the neighbors to see if he'd even been home last night?" Gibbs asked as he picked up his third cup of coffee. "I don't know, Ziva. You tell me! You're supposed to be a trained investigator! Do _you_ think its pertinent to talk to them?...Then **do** it. And don't call back until you've found him!"

With a growl of frustration, he snapped the phone closed and barely suppressed the urge to throw the annoying little device across the room. His eyes narrowed when he saw Doctor Mallard shake his head disapprovingly. "Something you want to say to me, Duck?"

"Biting Ziva's head off isn't going to make Anthony magically appear, Jethro. You are not the only one who is worried about him, and the way you are reacting is just making everything that much worse."

From across the bullpen, McGee couldn't help but privately agree with Ducky. They were all worried about Tony, but with Gibbs walking around biting everyone's head off, he had set the whole floor on edge.

"This isn't like him."

"No," Ducky agreed, "this is not. Anthony's never been one to make you purposely worry. But you must remain calm, Jethro."

"Easier said than done, Duck." When his cell phone began to chirp pleasantly in his hand, he didn't bother to check the caller ID. "Yeah, Gibbs."

Giving Gibbs some semblance of privacy, Ducky crossed the squad room and came to a rest in front of McGee's desk. "Timothy," he said kindly, "could you try again and see if you get a location on Anthony's cell phone?"

"I can try," he responded, pleased to just have something to do. It had been futile the last three times he attempted, but anything would be better than just sitting and waiting.

"Not necessary Tim," Gibbs said, his voice void of emotion. "I know where DiNozzo is."

"Well out with it, Jethro, or are you going to make us guess?"

"He's on his way to Bethesda. He was stabbed this morning outside a Georgetown apartment complex."

Almost immediately, McGee jumped to his feet. "I'll gas the car, boss. Should I call Ziva and have her respond back?"

"No, there's no time for that. We'll pick her up on the way," Gibbs responded. "Ducky--"

"I'll get Abigail and we will meet you out front," the M.E. said, already on his way to the elevator.

Nodding to nobody in general, as the squad room had cleared out, Gibbs grabbed the cup of coffee from his desk and dumped it into the trash can. "I swear to God, DiNozzo, if you're not okay, I'm going to kill you," he vowed as he headed to the elevator.

~*~

"And you are sure you did not hear him come in at any point last night?" Ziva asked for what felt like the millionth time.

"No," Mrs. Simmons responded with a shake of her head. "I usually always know when Tony's home because of that darn sound thingy he has on his television. Why you young people need such ridiculous equipment is beyond me. That boy will be deaf before he's fifty."

"Right," Ziva said, her eyebrow raised just slightly. "Well then, thank you for your help. If he happens to come home, please tell him to contact Ziva at once. It's urgent."

"Ziva? What kind of name is that?"

"Mine," she responded with a slight scowl.

"Well, you'd better let me write that down. I tend to forget things if I don't write them down. Can you spell that out for me?"

"Ziva! Like that… thing you hook to a television! A Tiva, yes? You know, the thing that records—oh, never mind! It's Ziva: Zee-Eye-Vee-A. He will know who you are talking about." As she watched the older woman write down the correct spelling of her name, she wondered briefly if this is what Tony felt like when he was trying to explain the correct way to use certain American phrases to her.

She had just thanked Mrs. Simmons for her cooperation and moved on to the neck door when McGee stepped out of the stairwell, panting slightly. "Ziva!"

Turning at the sound of her voice, she was slightly startled at the look of panic on McGee's face.

"It is Tony, yes? You have found him? "

"Come on," he responded, ignoring her question. "I'll explain in the car."

She found that she didn't need McGee to explain with his words; his body language and facial expressions said everything she needed to know. They had found Tony and he was not okay.

The ride to Bethesda was silent, save for the quiet sniffles that Abby tried so desperately to stifle. "He has to be okay, right Gibbs?" She whispered, voice thick with tears. "He knows—he knows you would kick his butt if he wasn't. Y-you're the only person who could actually _order_ someone not to die and have them listen."

Though her words seemed to bring a slight comfort to the other people in the car, Ziva didn't comprehend the meaning. She had not been around for the plague, after all. "Abby, you cannot _order_ someone not to die."

"She might not be able to," Gibbs said, his eyes meeting Ziva's in the mirror. "But I sure as hell can."


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **General Orders  
**Word Count: ****  
****Rating:** PG-13 to be safe, for slight language.  
**Characters: **Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Tony DiNozzo  
**Genre: **Hurt/Comfort, Hurt!Tony, Family Dynamic (Team as Family)  
**Spoilers: **Mentions of SWAK, Twilight  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own 'em, I just like to borrow 'em every now and then. Especially Tony. Yum.  
**Summary: **A (not-so)random attack on a Georgetown street leaves Tony fighting for his life and Gibbs and the team at a loss for what to do.

_A/N: I think I said in the last chapter that this would be about 3-4 parts long, but I'm thinking it might expand to 5-6. Anyway, I hope you enjoy and please don't forget to let me know what you think! =)_

Part Two

_Click. Click. Click. Click._

"Abby, would you please sit down?"

"I can't! I can't just… just sit here and do nothing, McGee!"

"That is the point of a waiting room, yes? To wait?"

"That is _so_ not the point, Officer Day-vid."

Ah, so they were back to this. "Dah-veed," Ziva corrected automatically with a sigh. "I am going to get a drink. McGee, would you like anything?"

"No, I'm good Ziva. Thanks."

With a firm nod, she pushed herself to her feet and exited the waiting room, her shoulders slumped in a way McGee had never said before. When he was sure she was out of hearing distance, he turned to Abby. "You don't have to be so snippy with her, you know. It's not _her_ fault that this happened to Tony."

"I **know** that McGee! But I just…! She's always so…! She was the same way after Gibbs got blown up! She's cold and she has no feelings!"

"That's not true. This is just how she handles things. It's how she was raised."

"Yeah well, the way she was raised sucks," Abby declared as she sank down into the hard plastic chair, though she instantly felt remorseful. "That wasn't very nice," she admitted. "I'm sorry. I'm just... I'm so worried about Tony. Why haven't they come out and told us anything? And where the hell are Ducky and Gibbs?"

"Gibbs is out bullying some nurse into giving up the location of the stash of _real_ coffee and Ducky is bullying a doctor into giving us an update."

"Now, now Timothy. I didn't think I resorted to actually _bullying_ anyone, though I must say, after all these years of working with Jethro I am quite skilled at making veiled **threats**," the M.E. announced as he entered the waiting room.

"Right. Sorry Duck," McGee grinned, a pinkish tint coloring his cheeks. "Do we have an update?"

"Ah yes. But wouldn't it better, perhaps, to wait until Jethro and Ziva are among us? I'd like to only have to say this once."

The tone in which he spoke spent shivers down McGee's spine. "I uh… I'll go find them," he volunteered. A fresh wave of tears had started down Abby's cheeks at Ducky's words. McGee placed an awkward kiss to the top of her head while squeezing her hand before he got up in search of his boss and partner.

"Ducky," Abby whimpered, her voice cracking slightly, "please tell me he's going to be okay. We already lost Kate. We can't lose him too."

"There, there my darling," Ducky consoled as he took the seat McGee had just vacated. He wrapped an arm around Abby's shoulders and pulled her into his embrace as she cried.

Minutes later, a harassed looking McGee returned, with Gibbs on his heels. "Let's hear it, Duck."

"Where on Earth is Ziva?"

"Out front waiting for a cab. Said the Director called and needed one of us back so she volunteered. Get on with it."

"Very well then," Ducky said with a sigh. "They are finishing up with the surgery as we speak. Anthony lost a lot of blood before the paramedics arrived on scene, and they barely got him here in time. Everything seemed to go well, though there was quite a bit of damage caused by the blade. Serrated edges are nasty little things. Anyway, after they finish, he will be moved to a private room in the intensive care unit so they can monitor him closely. It seems that the blade was a rather dirty thing and they are concerned that an infection is setting in."

"When can we see him?" McGee asked.

"I am afraid it will be much later this afternoon. They will want to get him set up in his room first and even then, they will allow just one visitor at a time."

"But he's okay?"

"He's doing as well as can be expected, but be warned," Ducky cautioned, "he is not out of the woods yet."

~*~

Stepping into the pristine lobby, Ziva removed her sunglasses, tucking them carefully into her bag as she approached the counter where the pleasant young woman sat. "Hi," she greeted, her voice just as pleasant as her looks. "How can I help you today?"

"Officer David," Ziva said, pulling her badge from the front pocket of her bag. "I am with NCIS. I was informed that early this morning, your department was dispatched to a jugging."

"I'm sorry?"

"Not jugging… jug… cup… mug! Mugging! Yes, a mugging. I was wondering if I could speak with the reporting officer. Um, please?"

"Give me just a minute to look up the report here… you advise this happened this morning?"

"That is correct."

"Ah yes, here it is. You can have a seat in the waiting room. I'll call Officer Burke in now."

"Thank you," she said sincerely as she headed into the direction of the waiting room. She had just sat down when the door opened up and a tall man in a uniform stepped in, a sympathetic smile on his face.

"Officer Day-vid?"

"Dah-veed," she corrected, "yes. You are Officer Burke?"

"I am. How can I help you today?"

"My partner was involved in a j—_m_ugging this morning outside of an apartment complex. I was wondering if perhaps I could obtain a courtesy copy of the report?"

"I'm going to have to check with my supervisor, but it's a pretty open-and-shut case, so I don't see why not."

"I would appreciate that, thank you," she said. She watched as the young officer disappeared behind yet another door before she pulled out her phone and the scrap of paper tucked in her pocket. Squinting at the messy handwriting, she dialed the number quickly. "Yes, this is Officer David with NCIS. Who do I need to speak to about obtaining a copy of a phone record? Yes, it is in reference to an on-going investigation… The name on the account? Anthony D. DiNozzo. Mobile number two-zero-two, two-nine-eight, zero-one-seven-six… Yes, I will hold."

~*~

It was a waiting game that they'd played before, though it wasn't any easier this time. The seconds ticked by slowly, minutes feeling more like hours. Worn out from pacing, Abby sat slumped down in a chair, her head resting on McGee's shoulder as he thumbed through a magazine for the twelfth time. Across the room, Gibbs sat with his head resting against the wall, eyes closed.

"Timothy," Ducky called quietly as he returned to the waiting room, "would you like anything from the cafeteria my dear boy?"

"Oh, no thanks Ducky. I'm good."

"You really should eat something," Ducky admonished quietly. "I am certain that Anthony would not approve of you starving yourself on his account."

A quiet chuckle escaped the younger man. "Really, I'm okay. I had breakfast before work this morning."

"Well that was hours ago! You are wreaking havoc on your metabolism, young man!" He said sternly before shaking his head. "Very well then. When I return, I will see if I can locate Anthony's doctor for a status update."

He watched as Ducky retreated from the room once before he slumped back into the seat with a quiet sigh. "He's right, you know," Gibbs commented from across the room, head still back and eyes still closed. "It wouldn't kill you to eat something. Give you a chance to stretch your legs too."

"I'm fine, boss," McGee responded.

Cracking an eye open, Gibbs gave him a skeptical look. "Suit yourself," he said, before pushing himself to his feet, his joints cracking and popping in protest. "I'm gonna go see if I can find some more coffee. You sure you don't want anything?"

"No thank you. Really."

"Okay," the older man responded with a nod as he made his way out of the waiting room.

With a sigh, McGee attempted to turn his attention back to the magazine, but it wasn't long before Abby stirred. "Where'd everyone go?" She asked, sitting up to rub her eyes. "Have they started letting visitors back?" She punched his shoulder. "Why didn't you _tell _me?"

"Hey!" McGee growled, rubbing the now-sore spot on his arm. "You know I could arrest you for that?"

With a smirk, Abby cocked her eyebrow. "You aren't quick enough with the cuffs, McGee."

A pinkish tint covered McGee's cheeks as he glared at her. "You promised you wouldn't bring that up anymore."

"No one's around. That doesn't count as 'bringing it up'," she reminded him. "Where are Ducky and Gibbs?"

"Ducky went down to the cafeteria to get something to eat. Said he'd check with Tony's doctor when he got back to find out if he's allowed visitors yet. And do you really need to ask where Gibbs went?"

~*~

_He wasn't quite sure where he was, he realized as he forced his eyes open. It looked like the bullpen, it **smelled** like the bullpen, but somehow, he knew it wasn't. For one thing, when was the last time the squad room had been this empty? With a frown, he stepped further into the room, his eyes constantly scanning for any clue as to what the hell was going on._

_"I always said a woman would be the death of you."_

_His eyes widened at the sound of the voice as he turned, a grin already forming on his face. She looked the same as she had the last time he saw her, save for the gaping hole in her forehead. "Kate?" Immediately, his forehead creased with worry, as his grin turned to a frown, because if _**Kate** _was here, then things weren't looking so good for him._

_"Relax, DiNozzo. You're not dead. An eternity with you is already going to be long enough, let's not start it any earlier than necessary," she teased. _

_"Good to see that being dead hasn't put a damper on your sense of humor."_

_She smiled fondly at him and reached out to grasp his hand gently. "Do you remember how you got here?"_

_"No," he responded, genuinely confused. "Do you?"_

_"What kind of Guardian Angel would I be if I didn't?"_

_"Guardian WHAT?"_

_She laughed. "I'm totally kidding about that. As if I don't have better things to do with my time other than trying to keep you out of trouble. That would be a full time job. Trouble just seems to **cling** to you."_

_"Ha freakin' ha."_

_"Face it, Tony. You're the only person in the world who could actually get sick with a disease of medieval times."_

_"Oh God. Have I relapsed? Gibbs is going to **kill** me!"_

_She laughed again. "No, you haven't relapsed, but you're probably not too far off the mark about Gibbs. You know how he is when you make him worry."_

_"Why is he worried?"_

_All traces of humor were gone from her face and she was squeezing his hand again. "Things are going to get worse before they get better. But you can't give up on them."_

_"What are you talking about?"_

_"It's going to be hard, but we're not ready for you up here just yet. They still need you. So no matter what, you better hold on because if you don't, we're both in trouble."_

_"I've missed you, Kate."_

_"I know," she agreed with a nod. "And believe it or not, I've missed you too. But I swear to God, DiNozzo, if you tell anyone I said that I will see to it that you are struck down by lightening."_

_"I don't think anyone would believe me even if I did tell them."_

_"I have to go now," she said quietly, her voice a little sad. "But you have to be strong. They aren't ready to lose you too. Promise me that you won't crap out."_

_He snorted. "Do I **ever** crap out?"_

_"Promise me."_

_"Okay, okay. I promise."_

_And like that, she was gone. "Kate?" He called, though he knew it was no use. He walked over to the desk that should be his and sat down, drumming his fingers on the table top until the blinding pain began._


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: **General Orders  
**Word Count: ****  
****Rating:** PG-13 to be safe, for slight language.  
**Characters: **Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Tony DiNozzo  
**Genre: **Hurt/Comfort, Hurt!Tony, Family Dynamic (Team as Family)  
**Spoilers: **Mentions of SWAK, Twilight  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own 'em, I just like to borrow 'em every now and then. Especially Tony. Yum.  
**Summary: **A (not-so)random attack on a Georgetown street leaves Tony fighting for his life and Gibbs and the team at a loss for what to do.

_A/N: As a thank you for the reviews and comments I've received in reference to this story, this chapter is a little longer than the last two. I apologize if there are excessive spelling/grammatical errors, as it's 2:10 in the morning and I just finished writing this lol. As always, I hope you enjoy and remember, comments are ALWAYS appreciated =D Plus, they help me write faster ;)_

Part Three

"Doctor Mallard?" Three heads turned simultaneously at the sound of the voice. "I have an update on Agent DiNozzo. Is this everyone?"

"It is now," Gibbs said as he stepped past the doctor. "Get on with it, doc. How's he doing?"

"Right," the doctor began, clearly flustered by the fact that the fourth man had appeared apparently out of thin air behind him, "we've got him resting as comfortably as possible and within the next ten minutes, we're going to start accepting visitors."

"Is he awake?" Abby asked.

"No," the doctor responded with a shake of his head, "and that's not unusual in cases like this, so it's not a cause for worry just yet. A lot of times in trauma cases, the victims just simply aren't going to wake up until their brain feels like it can handle and process the attack."

"But he's doing okay, right?" It was McGee's turn to inquire.

"As well as can be expected after everything he's been through. Like I told Doctor Mallard a little earlier, he came through the surgery just fine. The knife caused quite a bit of damage but we were able to correct that fairly easy. Our main concern now is the infection. His temperature is up a little more than we'd like, but we've started him on antibiotics and I'm confident that we can get the fever under control."

The doctor turned at the sound of someone calling his voice from the hallway, and with a nod, he turned back to the group. "I'm being told he's ready to start accepting visitors. Unfortunately, being that it's the intensive care unit, we have to limit the number of visitors to one at time, but please, feel free to take as long as you need. I know today has been rough on all of you," he said with a sympathetic smile. "If you'll excuse me, I have a few more rounds to make, but should you have any questions that Doctor Mallard is unable to answer, just have the girls at the desk page me."

"Back in five," Gibbs called over his shoulder, already on his way out the door.

"Well that's not fair," Abby pouted, glaring at Gibbs' retreating back. "Why does he get to go first? I was going to ask if I could go first!"

"I would venture a guess that Jethro is anxious to see that young Anthony is, in fact, still among the living for himself before he returns to D.C. to launch a full blown investigation."

"Investigation? Into what? Georgetown PD said it was a random mugging."

"Yes, that's quite true, Timothy, but you don't really think Jethro is going to trust someone else to find the assailant, do you?"

"You definitely have a point there. God help them when Gibbs finds out who it was."

"Ah yes. However, unfortunately for them, I do not think even the Good Lord would be able to save them."

--

Gibbs heard the quiet beeping of the machines as he stepped into the room, the noise being the only indicator that the man on the bed belonged _here_ rather than a cold slab in the morgue. He hated how still DiNozzo was; it was wrong. This man was energetic, to the point of being down right_ annoying_ at times, and to see him like this… well, it was uncomfortable.

It reminded him too much of the last time. The only difference then was at least DiNozzo's raspy breathing was an indication that he was still among the living.

"Only you, DiNozzo," Gibbs said with a sigh as he looked his senior field agent over from head to toe. His coloring was bad; more grey than the tan, and there was a slight sheen of sweat across his forehead. It was to be expected, given how much blood the younger man had lost in the attack, but it was still unsettling, like one of those creepy wax figures in that museum that ex-wife number three had ranted and raved about.

DiNozzo would have fit right in with those Christina Spears and Fates Children displays. Or whatever the hell they were called. He stepped further into the room, coming to a stop at the side of the bed. He leaned over, careful of the million tubes and wires jutting out in all different directions and spoke softly. "I _will_ find out who did this to you and I will make them pay. You have my word," he vowed. Reaching up carefully, he rested a large, calloused hand to the young man's forehead and sighed as he felt the warmth radiating from his skin. "You hang in there, DiNozzo. I'm not done with you yet."

~*~

"Thank you very much for your cooperation."

"It's not a problem, Officer David. If there is anything else I can do for you, please, don't hesitate to call," he said with a smile.

Stepping out of the apartment complex, Ziva lifted the bag higher on her shoulder and slid her sunglasses on as the warm afternoon sun filtered down through the trees. From where she stood, she could clearly see the historic blue Mustang parked down the street, the remnants of police caution tape still visible in the bushes along the edge of the sidewalk.

The Georgetown Police Department had been kind enough to supply her with a courtesy copy of the police report taken that morning. It was, as Officer Burke told her, considered a pretty open-and-shut case. There had been no eye-witnesses to the incident, and unless Tony was able to identify his assailant when he came out of surgery, there was nothing more to be done. They simply did not have the resources or man power to conduct an all out, in depth investigation.

And apparently, they had not had the same training that she had had while working under Gibbs. It had not taken a rocket scientist to figure out that the apartment complex where Tony was last seen had video surveillance. Perhaps the outside cameras had managed to capture something, _anything_, that could be used to identify Tony's attacker.

Pulling out her cell phone as she crossed the street to her vehicle, she dialed the number she had memorized from the phone book the building manager had lent her. "Yes, is this the Corkran Brothers towing service? I need a tow truck to the fifteen hundred block of West Cherry street for a 1965 Mustang, blue in color, Washington D.C registration Zulu hotel delta three six five… Yes, I would like it towed to thirty-two zero three Windom place northwest, Washington D.C… I do not care how much it costs. Yes, I will hold."

Unlocking her doors, she slipped her bag into the front seat before she dug her wallet out of the front pocket. "Yes, I am still here… Very good. You accept credit cards, yes?" As she read off the number to the man on the other end of the line, she felt her eyes drift to Tony's vehicle. She had not been asked to have the vehicle removed from the Georgetown street where it currently sat, but his Mustang was his pride and joy and she felt like she knew her partner enough to know that he would not approve of his 'baby' just sitting on a random street.

Once arrangements had been made for the vehicle, she climbed from her car and headed into the small diner that sat directly in front of the scene. Pulling the heavy door open, she slipped inside, badge already in hand.

"Can I help you, miss?" The elderly gentleman behind the counter asked.

"Yes sir," she said with a slight smile. "I am Officer David with NCIS."

"That anything like CSI?"

She could not contain the quiet chuckle that escaped her. "We are similar, I suppose."

"You workin' on a big crime?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes."

"I'm a big fan of CSI. How can I help ya, honey?"

"There was a j—_m_ugging that occurred across the street this morning. I noticed, when I drove past, the tiny camera that is perched outside the door. I was wondering if perhaps there was a way I could obtain a copy?"

"Had to get that thing installed because of the damned kids that run up and down this street in the evenings. Little brats busted out my wind'a a time or two. Come on back and we'll see if we can't get'cha whatcha need."

--

One hour and two surveillance tapes later, she found herself on her way back to the agency, trying desperately to think of anything other than Tony. Perhaps she had been wrong to leave the hospital before getting a status update, but she simply could not sit there any longer. She had never been the type of person to sit around and do nothing, instead preferring to have a task, _any_ task to keep her mind off of the situation at hand.

What better way to spend her time than tracking down the person who had put her partner in the hospital? Pulling into the parking garage of the agency, she threw the car into park before grabbing her bag out of the front seat. She had just climbed out of the car when the sound of footsteps behind her caused her turn, her hand immediately coming to a rest on the gun at her side.

"Hey Ziva," Agent Johnson called, a sympathetic smile on his face. "How's DiNozzo?"

"I do not know."

"You didn't go to the hospital?"

"I did not stay long. Work does not stop just because a teammate is injured," she said, and immediately cursed herself for her words. No wonder Abby believed her to be cold and uncaring. She could read from Johnson's face that he had come to the same conclusion.

"Oh. Right… well listen, if you hear from McGee, let him know that the new software just came in and he can come get it whenever he gets a chance."

"Of course," she said with a nod. Annoyed with herself for her callous words regarding her partner, she brushed past Johnson and hurried to the entrance, praying that she would find the bullpen empty so she would not have to endure the incredulous stares at her presence or the questions about Tony's condition that she could not answer.

~*~

McGee had hoped, after the plague, that he'd never have to see Tony like this again. And yet here he was, slouched in the uncomfortable plastic chair alongside the uncomfortable looking hospital bed, wishing that Tony would just wake up and hurl an insult at him. Anything would be better than this.

It was the stillness that bothered him the most. Tony was such a lively person, always so animated. To see him lying in the hospital, hooked up to a crazy number of machines that were very possibly the only things keeping him alive… it was disturbing. It bothered him more than he would ever admit to anyone, because while they could all end in the very same position on any given day with their line of work, it felt _wrong_ that it was Tony.

It was worse that it wasn't even a work related incident that had landed him here, because really? Who would actually want to **hurt** DiNozzo? Sure, he was a pain in the ass on most days, and he had probably broken the hearts of a few hundred women, but Tony was a good guy. He was loyal to his friends, and even though they irritated the hell out of each other on some days, McGee was positive that there wasn't a single thing in the world Tony wouldn't do for him.

Picking up the discarded magazine from the small table, he sank back in the uncomfortable plastic chair and thumbed through it. He wasn't sure what to say, not that he was good with words anyway, and besides, he didn't even know if Tony could hear him so really, what was the point?

But still, he sat and waited, because if knew if the roles were reversed, he was positive that Tony would be doing the same thing for him.

~*~

"Busy day Officer David?" She did not bother to glance up at the sound of his voice. She had heard him coming and she had felt his penetrating stare on her back as he had stepped out of the elevator. He had not been happy when she had left the hospital, but she did not care. She could not simply sit and twinkle her thumbs… wait a minute… that did not sound right…

Regardless, she could not sit and do nothing, even if her departure had left her coworkers angry for seemingly abandoning them… and Tony.

"I suppose one could say that," she responded coolly.

"Yeah? You had better hope so. Because I called the director and he couldn't seem to remember calling you back here for a case."

"There were things that needed to be done."

"Things more important than being there for your team when they need you?"

"They did not need me. I would have been of no use to anyone at the hospital. I am not good with things like that, Gibbs."

"You should have stuck around out of respect for Tony."

"My leaving had nothing to do with a lack of respect for Tony."

"So what did it have to do with?"

"I was needed here."

"By who exactly, Ziva?"

She stood up, slamming her hand down on the desk. "By _me_, Gibbs! _I_ needed to be here! I needed to have something to do other than just sit around and wait for… for whatever was going to happen to happen!" Kicking her chair back with more force than necessary, she stormed out of the bullpen.

~*~

"So anyway, we're bowling the last frame, and keep in mind, that other team is leading us by one stinkin' point, and of course, it had to be Sister Rosita's turn. I swear, Tony, it doesn't matter how many lessons you give her to help her with her form, she's just terrible but I'm pretty sure that God wouldn't be too happy if we fired her from the team, you know?"

"Miss Scuito?"

Glancing up at the sound of her voice, Abby turned her head and offered the nurse a bright smile. "I'm sorry, am I in your way?"

"I just need to check his lines," she explained with a smile. "If I can just squeeze in here for a second…"

"Sure, sure," Abby said before she turned back to Tony, squeezing his hand gently. "I'll be right back, Tony. Nurse Amy is just going to check you out real quick, okay? I know you're anxious to hear how Sister Rosita did, and I promise I'll finish telling you in just a minute," she said before she scooted back in the plastic chairs. "He's all yours, Nurse Amy."

"Thank you," she said as she stepped closer to the bed. "Tony?" She called quietly, keeping her voice pleasant, "I'm just going to check your lines, sweetheart." Amy worked quickly with nimble fingers, though she frowned at the heat radiating from his skin. "I think your temperature's up a little, honey," she said, her hand coming to a rest on his forehead.

"Is he okay?"

"He feels a little warmer than earlier so I'm going to turn the cooling blanket back on. Tony, you're going to feel a little cold, but it's okay. I'm going to turn your cooling blanket back on so we can keep this fever down."

Pushing the buttons to the machine that was hooked to the cooling blankets, she set the temperature and then turned to Abby. "He's all yours again," she said with a smile. "I'll be back in an hour to check and see how he's doing. If you need anything before then, just give me a yell."

"Will do. Thank you Nurse Amy." She waited until the pretty brunette had stepped out the room before she turned back to her unconscious friend. "You might be all mine right now, but I have a feeling if you saw her, you'd want to be all _hers_. You really should wake up and see for yourself Tony," she suggested, as she scooted closer, grasping his hand in hers again.

"No? Okay, but I'm telling you, you're going to be kicking yourself if she's off duty when you wake up. I'm pretty sure you'd be able to score a number. Anyway, back to Sister Rosita…"

~*~

"You wanna tell me what that was all about?" Gibbs asked as Ziva returned to the bullpen. She ignored him as she bent over her desk, gathering the sheets of paper that littered the space.

"These," she said, slamming the information onto Gibbs' desk, "are Tony's phone records. The number highlighted at the top is the person he was speaking to at the time of the attack. Allyson Marshall, age 32, a little older than what Tony usually goes for, but she is a blonde, which makes her mental age fall into the correct category. No criminal history, but no family history listed either. A request for bank statements has been made, I am just waiting on the fax now."

"What else?"

"I am thinking that the Marshall name is an alias. She recently moved to the area from the eastern shore. I have put in a call to a contact there to see if they have any information on her that might be of some use. Also, I made contact with Marshall's place of employment, she did not turn up for work today as scheduled. The building manager has been advised to contact me directly should she return to the apartment. I had Lewis downstairs attempt to get a location on her cell phone, but apparently she has it turned off."

"You think she's involved?"

"She was on the phone with Tony at the moment of the attack. Dispatch records from Georgetown Police indicate that she did **not** place a call to report it."

"You got a copy of that report?"

"As well as the photos from the scene," she confirmed, grabbing the report from her desk before handing it over. "I also made contact with the building manager of the complex as well as shop owner across the street from where it occurred and I was able to obtain copies of surveillance footage. McGee or Abby will need to enhance the quality of the videos, as there is not a clear shot of the attacker's face. I am confident, however, that once the quality is enhanced and we are able to zoom in, we will be able to identify him or her."

"That's good work Ziva."

"Also… out of _respect_ for Tony, I had his vehicle returned home. I thought perhaps he may rest easier if he knew it was back where it belonged."

~*~

"Doctor Mallard? Could you come with me please?"

Glancing up from the magazine he had been thumbing through, Ducky put the tabloid aside and stood, frowning slightly. "I trust whatever you're to tell me would be something I should relay to the others, so perhaps it would just be easiest if you allowed Timothy to tag along now?"

Looking down at the younger man who still sat, eyes wide with fear, the doctor nodded. "Very well," he said with a quiet sigh. "With me, please." He led the two men out into the hallway before the turned the corridor for the intensive care unit.

From the hallway outside of Tony's room, McGee could see Abby sitting alongside the pale Italian, her fingers intertwined with his as a nurse mopped his forehead gently. Even from where he stood, he could see the flush of Tony's cheeks, the way his hair was matted down with sweat and water and he knew, in the pit of his stomach, that whatever the doctor had brought them here for, it could not be good.

"He is not responding to the antibiotics we've put him on. We're going to try a different set and up the dose, but the fever is very worrisome right now. His temperature is up to 103.1, which as you know, is very dangerous in adults."

"What does that—?" Before McGee could finish his question, a loud beeping sounded from Tony's room, followed by Abby's hoarse cry.

"Doctor Bair!" Nurse Amy shouted from the room. "Doctor Bair, he's convulsing!"

Several nurses brushed passed as Doctor Bair hurried into the room. Seconds later, a sobbing Abby was ushered out by a sympathetic nurse before the door was shut and the curtains were drawn.

"Ducky!" Abby cried as she launched herself into McGee's arms. He wrapped himself around her, pressing what he hoped to be a comforting kiss to the top of her head, despite the tears prickling in his own eyes. "Ducky, what do we do?"

"I think, my dear, that we should call Jethro and Ziva," he said gravely.

~*~

Standing up at the quiet beeping of the fax machine, Ziva stifled a yawn and refrained from cracking her tired bones. It had been a long, stressful day and she was finally beginning to feel the effects of it as night fell over Washington.

Hands resting gently against the machine, she closed her eyes and allowed her head to droop forward just an inch as she drew in a deep breath, rolling her shoulders a bit to relieve the tension. At the end of the bullpen, she could hear Agent Lewis' fingers tapping quietly on the McGee's keyboard as he attempted to enhance the video quality from the surveillance footage. Gibbs, in an uncharacteristic act of kindness, had opted to call Lewis upstairs rather than bring McGee or Abby back from the hospital.

"Have you got a clear picture yet?" She asked over her shoulder as she pulled the papers from the fax machine before she sank back down into her chair.

"Not yet," he said with a sigh. "Someone needs to tell these guys that their cameras are crap. And McGee really needs to get the new photo enhancement software updated on his computer. This crap he's running is so last year."

"I will be sure to pass along the message," she responded wryly as she brought her hands up to rub her tired face before she attempted to glance down at the information her contact on the eastern shore had sent to her.

Just as she had suspect, the name Allyson Marshall had been an alias. The witch's real name was Penny Elzey, she discovered, age 3_4_. Still, even under the Elzey name, she had no criminal history, save for a few traffic violations and an unpaid parking ticket. It was hardly anything to call the press about. Grabbing the page on family history, she scanned the names of her parents before she came to a rest on her brother.

_Elzey, James Michael. Incarcerated at Jessup Correction Institution (1999; case number 1F000384728); Deceased._

Plugging in the case number to the computer system, she didn't have to scan long until she found what she was looking for.

_Case Number 1F000384728  
Arresting Officer: Det. Anthony DiNozzo, Baltimore Police Department; Homicide Division  
_  
"Uh… Ziva? You might want to take a look at this," Lewis said as he glanced over at her.

"No time for that," Gibbs announced as he hurried back into the bullpen. "Get your stuff, Ziva."

"Gibbs, this is important--!"

"So is this. DiNozzo went into convulsions ten minutes ago. They're still working on him. Duck says we need to get there now."

"Agent Lewis, fax that photograph to the Georgetown Police along with the information on my desk. Have them go out to her building and you tell them to grab her when she comes in. They can hold her in their interrogation until we get there," Ziva called as she sprinted towards the elevator. "You are mine now, you bitch."


	4. Chapter 4

﻿

Part Four

Death was not unfamiliar to her. It was something she had come to accept as a part of life from a young age; never easy, but inevitable. She had lost the ones dearest to her heart and had taken lives of countless others. It had all been a part of life while with Mossad.

But that was before _them_. Ziva could not put her finger on the exact moment that they had gone from collegues to friends or from friends to family but at some point, they had become all that she had. They _were_ her family, moreso than her father and half-brother had ever been and the thought of losing one of them made her chest ache in a way she had never experienced. She had heard the term 'shattered heart' many times since coming to the States, but until this very moment, she had never quite understood.

She had not been around during Tony's bout with the pneumonic plague, had not been subjected to sitting around and waiting for the newest development, had not been on edge, wondering if everytime a doctor appeared it would be to tell her to come say goodbye.

Death had been a part of life while with Mossad, but it had always been swift. And this? Well, this was torture.

Outside the car, the landscape changed at an alarming speed as Gibbs navigated the streets in a way that would have possibly made McGee lose his lunch, but privately, she could not help but wish he would go just a _little_ bit faster.

"I'm sorry."

The words were spoken so softly and without the usual traces of gruffness in his voice, but the two words were enough to pull Ziva from her tangled thoughts and force her to focus on the present. Namely the uncomfortable prickling behind her eyes and the throbbing ache in her chest. "Do not apologize. It is a sign of weakness," she reminded him.

"Not among friends. You did good work today, Ziva. I'm proud of you."

The bitter laugh that escaped from her lips surprised her. "And if it was all in vain? I should have stayed at the hospital. I did not even get a chance to see him."

"But you will."

"What if we are too late?" She asked, hating how thick her voice was with emotion. "What should I do then, Gibbs? Console myself with the fact that even though I did not get to say goodbye, the bitch who did this will be sitting comfortably in a jail cell for the rest of her life?"

He did not offer any words of comfort, though she did not expect him to. Gibbs had never been a man of many words, but the hand snaking across the console to grasp her fingers gave her everything she needed. Something tangible to hold on to, to remind her that no matter how difficult this was, she did not have to face it alone.

McGee liked to consider himself a pretty patient guy, but if this whole day had been any indication, he wasn't as patient as he pretended to be. Of course, it wasn't really the waiting that bothered him. He'd have been more than happy to sit in the stuffy waiting room for days at a time if he knew for sure that in the end, Tony would be leaving with them. It was the _not knowing_ that bothered him.

Not knowing if he would ever be on the receiving end of Tony's pranks again. Not knowing if Tony would ever have his six again. Not knowing if Tony would ever call him 'Probie' again.

At his side, Abby cried hoarsely, her face buried in her hands. He dropped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into an embrace, but as he held her, he could feel the tears prickling behind his own eyes and he wasn't so sure if he was actually comforting her or himself.

"Doctor Pitt has just been called in for a consult," Ducky announced as he entered the room, his shoulders slumped slightly. "The convulsions have stopped, thank God, but the fever is still dangerously high. They're hoping that Bradley may be able to give them some insight as to what the best course of medication will be to get the infection under control."

"What do we do now, Ducky?" McGee asked, though he already knew the answer.

"Unfortunately, my dear Timothy, the only thing we can do right now is what we have been doing all day. We must wait."

~*~

The sound of screeching tires echoed in the empty parking garage as Gibbs threw the car into park. He hadn't even turned the ignition off before Ziva threw her door open and leapt out of the car, but he wasn't far behind her. Slamming the driver's side door, he caught up to the Israeli in three short strides and once again reached for her hand.

She glanced up at him with wide, wild eyes, the severity of the situation hitting her full force like a punch to the gut. "I do not think I am ready for this, Gibbs."

"Don't start saying your goodbyes just yet. Tony's a fighter, not a quitter. He doesn't just give up."

"And what if you are wrong? What if we are too late?"

"We're not," he promised. Reaching the hospital doors, she took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. It did not work as well as she had hoped, but she no longer felt as though she would be sick.

She followed after Gibbs, hoping and praying that his faith in Tony's ability to fight was justified. She had heard the stories, heard how Gibbs had _ordered_ Tony to survive and how Tony had obeyed, and just hoped her partner was as apt to listen this time as he was then.

They endured the elevator ride to the intensive care floor in silence, the only sound being her heart hammering wildly in her chest, loud and hard enough that she was sure even Gibbs had heard it. The 'ding' signaling the end of their ride reached her ears, the nauseous feeling returned and she had to remind herself to breathe evenly.

As they stepped off the elevator, Ziva could hear the tell tale signs of Abby's crying from the waiting room, and once again, she could feel the sensation of tears prickling behind her own eyes. Ducky's calming voice reached her ears, but as paused at the entrance to the waiting room, Gibbs urged her forward.

"First thing's first," he reminded her as he propelled her through the heavy wooden doors to the unit.

If she lived to be a hundred years old, she would always remember those twenty excruiciating steps from the entrance of the intensive care unit to the room that held her partner. She would remember the smell of sickness and death that she always associated with hospitals, and she would always remember Gibbs' strong steady hand resting on her back as he guided her forward.

And of course, she was positive that she would never forget the sight of her usually animated friend lying so still against the starch white hospital sheets, his skin red and covered in sweat as his weakened body fought off the infection that raged within.

Her quiet gasp alerted the doctor bent over the bed. He turned, his eyes locking with Gibbs'. "Ah, Special Agent Gibbs," he greeted quietly, the smile on his face not quite reaching his eyes. "And who is this lovely young woman?"

"Brad," Gibbs acknowledged with a slight nod. "This is Officer David. Ziva, this is Doctor Pitt. How's he doing?"

"I just started him on a new course of antibiotics, which will hopefully be more effective than the previous meds they had him on. Let me just finish up here and I'll be out of your way."

"Take your time."

Turning back to the task at hand, Doctor Pitt finished changing out the medicine bag before straightening and turning back to Gibbs. "How about you work some more of your magic on him, huh?"

"I'll do my best," Gibbs promised with the slightest hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Watching the doctor's retreating back, Gibbs waited until he was out of the room before he pulled the door closed and gave Ziva a gentle nudge towards the bed. "Go ahead."

"I... what do I do?"

"Well, you talk to him Ziva. Not a hard concept."

She moved closer to the bed, hesitating slightly as she took in the tubes that were seemingly attached to every available part of Tony's body. Reaching over the bed rail carefully, she lifted his limp hand and clasped it between hers, cringing at how hot it felt against her considerably cooler skin.

"Tony? I do not know if you can hear me... I want you to know that your car is safe. I know how important 'she' is to you so I had 'her' brought home from Georgetown. I thought about hot wiring it myself and driving her home, but she really is a beautiful car and the idea is for you to get better, not have a heart assault... wait a minute... attack! Yes, a heart attack at the thought of me driving it."

She sighed quietly and accepted the chair that Gibbs had scooted closer. She squeezed his hand gently as she sank down into the uncomfortable plastic chair before she spoke again, her voice wavering just slightly. "Do you see why I need you to wake up? McGee is too much of a gentlemen to correct my English mistakes and Gibbs... well I don't think Gibbs notices, if I am being quite honest. But you..."

The tears burned behind her eyes and without her consent, a single tear slid down her cheek but she made no move to brush it away. "I have always thought that you had bad taste in women. From now on, perhaps you should require that they submit to background checks, yes? Or at the very least allow me to question them."

Shifting slightly on the chair, she brought one hand up to rest on his forehead gently, smoothing his hair back as her father used to do for her when she was a small child. "I have been told that the last time you were gravely ill, Gibbs _ordered_ you not to give up. And you actually listened. I just... I just wondered if perhaps it would work the same coming from me? Maybe not as an order but... a request? Please," she pleaded, as she stood, the tears trickling down her cheeks freely as she leaned over the bed. "Please wake up." Placing her lips to his forehead, she closed her eyes and said a silent prayer before she pulled away and hurried out of the room before she lost the battle with her tears.

Gibbs watched her go with a quiet sigh, watching the way her shoulders shook with sobs as she bolted from the room before he turned back to his unconscious surrogate son. Taking Ziva's place beside the bed, he frowned slightly. "I meant what I said earlier, DiNozzo. I'm not done with you yet. You're one of the most stubborn people I know; never known you to give up on anything yet, and I don't expect you to start now. People are counting on you, son, and I know how much you'd hate to disappoint them... disappoint _me._ So don't."

~*~

_A haze of pain had settled around him. Somewhere in the distance, he could hear the quiet gasp followed by the two voices, both male, one deeper in tone than the other. He wanted desperately to open his eyes, to wiggle his fingers, to do _something _to alert them that he was there, but all attempts were in vain.  
_  
_"Tony? I don't know if you can hear me..."_

Ziva,_ he realized. He could feel her firm grasp on his hand, the action soothing him more than she would ever know._

_Suddenly, she shifted, her hand cool against his forehead. "... Gibbs ordered you not to give up. And you actually listened. I just... I just wondered if perhaps it would work the same coming from me? Maybe not as an order but... a request? Please?"_

_Was she crying? Her voice was thick with what he assumed to be tears. His chest ached as she sniffled softly, his arms aching to reach out and console her, to assure her that yes, he could hear her and yes, he was still there._

_"Please wake up," she begged and then he could feel her lips pressing against his hot skin before all contact was lost. He wanted to shout, to beg her to come back and to _please _stop crying, because didn't she know that it was killing him? But his body was not cooperating with his mind._

_"I meant what I said earlier, DiNozzo. I'm not done with you yet. You're one of the most stubborn people I know..."_

Well if that's not the pot calling the kettle black, _Tony thought dryly._

_"... People are counting on you, son and I know how much you'd hate to disappoint them... disappoint _me_. So don't."  
_  
_He had disappointed people all his life; his father, the numerous ex-girlfriends, him. But disappointing Leroy Jethro Gibbs simply wasn't an option. Apparently, that notion was all it took to get his mind and his body finally in synch as he managed to open his eyes.  
__  
**A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. Real Life apparently decided it was more important than my little fantasy world and stepped in to complete a hostile take over! But regardless, I managed to get this out! This chapter was difficult for me to write, and I hope that it didn't come out as weird as I fear it did! Thanks to everyone for all the feedback thus far, and please remember: reviews help me write faster! =D**__  
_


	5. Chapter 5

Part Five

A sharp gasp escaped Tony's lips as he forced his heavy eyes open, the harsh overhead lights blurring his cloudy vision. Immediately, he felt the cool, calloused hand against his shoulder and heard the calm, familiar voice of his boss at his side.

"It's about time, DiNozzo," Gibbs said wryly, though even through the haze of pain, Tony could hear the sheer relief hidden in the casual tone. "Thought you were going to keep me waiting all night."

"S-Sorry boss," he managed through his dry, cracked lips, his throat feeling as though it was on fire. He tried to push himself up in the unfamiliar bed, but a low moan escaped him as the pain flared up, leaving him breathless.

"Relax Tony," Gibbs demanded, one hand still firm against Tony's shoulder while the other reached for the call button on the wall. "You still with me?"

"'M still here," Tony murmured, but the pain in his gut was beginning to intensify. He tried to breathe through the pain in an attempt to remain in the here and now, though he could feel himself being pulled slowly back under.

"DiNozzo? You stay with me."

He wanted to. Oh _God,_ how he wanted to. He didn't want to go back to place inside his head where he could hear but not _see, _feel but not _touch_.

"Agent Gibbs?" A second voice asked from the doorway. "Is everything okay?"

"He's awake," Gibbs informed her. "Get his doctor."

_But not for long_, Tony thought, as his eyelids became too heavy to hold open.

"Damnit DiNozzo!" Gibbs growled as his hand came up to hit Tony gently on the head. "You don't rest until I **say** you rest! Am I clear?"

Blinking rapidly in an effort to clear his now-cloudy vision, Tony attempted a feeble nod. "Crystal, boss."

It wasn't long before the sound of more footsteps reached Tony's ears, and Gibbs slowly disappeared from his vision, replaced by identical white coats.

"Welcome back to the land of the living. Didn't think a little stab wound would keep you down for too long," a familiar voice greeted cheerfully. "I mean, you survived the _plague_. It'd be a little embarrassing to get beaten by a tiny little knife, wouldn't it?" Dr. Pitt teased.

"Must... be in bad s-shape..." Tony wheezed, "if they h-had to call you in."

"Nah. These guys just don't know you like I do. We're going to get you some medicine to make the pain stop, but I need you to answer a few questions first, okay? You still with me?"

"...E-everyone... keeps askin' that..." Tony complained, grinding his teeth together in an attempt to fight off the darkness.

"Alright, alright. Full Name?"

"A-Anthony D-DiNozzo."

"Uh huh. That was an easy one. Do you know what today is?"

"... Thur-Thursday... A-April 29th..."

"Where do you work?"

"With me," Gibbs interrupted from somewhere outside of Tony's line of vision, snarling slightly. "Now give him the medication. He's no more braindead than usual."

"T-thanks Boss," Tony wheezed. "L... love you too."

"But Agent Gibbs, these questions are standard procedure for patients who may have--"

"Doctor Bair, go ahead and administer the pain meds," Dr. Pitt interrupted.

"But Brad--!"

"Do it," he insisted. "Trust me. I know Tony well enough to know that everything's okay. And I know Gibbs well enough to know that it's easier to just comply now."

Though he looked for all the world like he wanted to argue, Dr. Bair said no more as he inserted the needle into the IV line. "This should help with the pain."

Another haze began to settle around Tony as the pain medication started to course through his system, but this time, it was a comfortable haze, no longer laced with the unbearable pain. As the doctors and nurses that had crowded his bed began to fade away, he could feel Gibbs take his place at his side once more.

"You can rest now Tony. I've got your six."

"Thanks boss," Tony managed as he finally allowed himself to be overcome by the darkness.

--

"Hey guys," Dr. Pitt greeted as he entered the waiting room where the remaining tear-stained, emotionally exhausted members of Team Gibbs sat, waiting impatiently for any news on their friend and colleague.

"Ah, Bradley!" Ducky greeted as he manuevered out of his seat carefully, his aching bones popping in protest. "Have you been back to see him? How is he?"

"He's going to be fine," Dr. Pitt assured them. He did not miss the collective sigh or the quiet, relieved sob that escaped Abby. "Officially, I can't say anything because he's still considered an ICU patient, but the new antibiotics I prescribed are working wonderfully. His fever is still up, but it's coming back down."

"Thank God," McGee breathed, slumping back against the chair in relief. "Is he awake yet?"

"He was," Dr. Pitt said. "There seems to be no lasting damage from the fever or convulsions. He's since fallen asleep, thanks to the pain meds, but that's to be expected. He'll probably be out of it for a little while longer, but he's really going to be okay."

"When can we see him?" Abby asked, her voice thick with emotion and relief.

"You can go back now."

Without needing to be told twice, Abby jumped to her feet and and headed for the hallway when Ziva's voice stopped her. "Wait a minute. Is Gibbs no longer back there? I thought he was permitted just one visitor at a time?"

"Yeah well, I've managed to pull a few strings," Dr. Pitt grinned. "As long as you all promise to be on your very best behavior and let our patient get some rest, you can all head back there. I've got to get back downstairs, but if you need anything else, the girls at the desk have strict instructions to page me immediately."

"Thank you, Bradley."

"It was my pleasure," Dr. Pitt assured Ducky with a friendly handshake before he headed back out.

Ziva remained frozen in her seat as she watched Ducky and McGee join Abby in the hallway. Every part of her body screamed for her to get up and follow after them, to see for herself that Tony was alive and well, but she could not bring herself to move.

"Ziva?" The sound of McGee's voice pulled her from her thoughts as she forced herself to focus on him. "You coming?"

"I-- I do not know."

"Come _on_ McGee!" Abby demanded from the hallway, but Ziva watched as McGee waved her on.

"You should go back there," Ziva suggested.

"So should you. Come on. Tony's going to want to see you."

"I doubt that."

"I don't. You're as much a part of this team as anyone else."

"I left."

"But you came back," McGee pointed out. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, forgetting the fact that he was usually terrified of her. Right now, she wasn't the crazy Mossad chick who could kill him with a staple. She wasn't the overzealous assasin who's motto was 'shoot now, ask questions later'. At this moment, she was just Ziva, a friend and partner. And right now, she look like she was in need of a hug.

Allowing herself to be folded into his embrace, she returned the hug before she pulled away, wiping at the stray tear that managed to find its way down her cheek.

"Come on," McGee urged as he pulled away, giving her a genuine smile. "Let's go see how long it'll take us to get Tony hurling insults our way. I'll bet fifteen minutes."

"Ten. You are off."

"On, Ziva. The phrase is 'you're on'."

"I was wrong about you," Ziva scoffed playfully. "Perhaps you are not as much of a gentleman as I originally thought! You are more and more like Tony every day!"

Any other day, he would have feigned offence at the comparison, but today, he simply smiled.

~*~

"I'll be back in a few hours. You sure you don't want me to bring you a bite to eat?"

"No, I'm fine," Abby insisted. "If you could just swing by my apartment and grab my skull pants and maybe another shirt?"

"Sure. Anything else?"

"That's all. Oh, and watch it when you go into my bedroom. I had to move the coffin out of the living room the other night. It makes Sister Rosita uncomfortable, apparently. But it's pushed back behind the door, so you kind of have to shove the door open, but be careful because it's hard to do and--"

"Abby," McGee chided gently, his hands resting on her arms. "I got it. I'll be back in a few hours," he repeated.

"Right," Abby nodded with a sigh as she sank back down into the plastic chair."I feel like there _may_ be something I'm forgetting..."

"Yeah," came Tony's weak voice from the bed, "stay out of her panty drawer."

The pinkish tint crept onto McGee's face as he fumbled for a retort, but simply settled for shaking his head. "Yeah, yeah. Do you need anything when I come back?"

"Yeah Probie. A large pizza with pepperoni, sausage and extra cheese."

"Yeah, sorry Tony. I don't think that's going to happen."

"I _know _that's not going to happen," Nurse Amy announced as she entered the room.

"Man," Tony groaned weakly. "How'm I s'posed to gain my strength back with this baby food I'm being fed?"

"Very slowly," Nurse Amy responded dryly.

"Can we at least negotiate a sponge bath?"

"Absolutely. Nurse Handley will be in in about another hour to bathe you."

"Nurse Handley, huh? What does she look like?"

"Hm... About 6'5", 220 pounds and very hairy forearms."

"Must you taunt me?"

"It's nice to see that even in your weakened state, you're still able to flirt with anything with legs," Abby commented dryly as she patted Tony's leg before turing back to McGee. "Go. We'll be fine. And we'll see you when you get back."

Bending over to press a gentle kiss to the top of Abby's head, McGee backed away, ignoring the smooching sounds Tony was currently making. "I'll see you later."

"Bye Timmy."

"Yeah, bye Timmy," Tony called, his voice still weak.

"I think I liked you better unconscious," McGee retorted, though the smile was evident in his voice. "Nurse Amy? Could you ask Nurse Handley if maybe he could use his _hand_ to wash Tony? A wash cloth might be too much for his sensitive skin."

"I'll see what I can do," Nurse Amy responded with a laugh.

Watching as McGee walked out, Abby turned back to Tony with a frown on her face.

"Pay up," Tony commanded. "Told you I could make him blush within the first ten minutes."

~*~

"Georgetown Police Department has just picked her up," Ziva reported as she snapped her phone shut. "Per my request, she is being brought to us for questioning."

"That's good work Ziva," Gibbs commended as McGee climbed into the back seat of the sedan.

"Who are we questioning?"

"**We** are not questioning anybody. Gibbs is going to question the woman who is responsible for putting Tony in the hospital."

"Georgetown PD found her?!"

"Technically _Ziva_ found her. Which means Ziva's going to question her."

"Gibbs, that may not be the best--"

"Rule Number 38."

"Rule number 38...?" McGee inquired.

"Your case, you lead."

"But techincally, this is Georgetown Police Department's case," Ziva pointed out.

"And you're the one who did all the legwork for them. This is not up for discussion. You'll be the one in interrogation. I'll be in next room and I'll step in if I need to."

Sitting back in the seat, Ziva turned her gaze out the window as the dark parking garage changed into a dark street, the landscape flying back at an alarming speed. She was anxious to have a moment alone with this woman, this monster.

She just hoped that Gibbs would, indeed, keep his word and step in when it became necessary.

~*~

"_That's_ her?" McGee asked incredulously as the petite blonde was escorted into the interrogation room. He watched as the guard assisted her into the awaiting chair before removing the shackles and handcuffs.

"Stay put," the guard commanded gruffly, his voice slightly distorted by the sound equipment. "Someone should be in here soon."

"Fabulous," the blonde responded, her voice cool and calm, the smirk on her face turning McGee's stomach. "I can't wait."

Glancing over at the two way mirror in the room, the guard nodded curtly before letting himself out, closing the door with a soft click. In the viewing room, Gibbs turned to Ziva.

"You keep your cool," he instructed. "Tony is okay and he's going to be fine. You just keep that in mind."

"I will try."

"You'll do fine."

Taking a deep breath, Ziva set her jaw and steeled her emotions as she walked out of the viewing room. Taking his place in front of the glass, Gibbs crossed his arms over his chest.

"Simmons, take a break. McGee, take over at the controls," he instructed.

"On it boss," McGee replied as he sat down in the empty seat Simmons had just vacated. He waited until the older man closed the door behind him before he turned back to Gibbs. "You ready, boss?"

"Mmhm. Roll it."

--

Pushing the door open slowly, Ziva slipped inside of the interrogation room, refusing to acknowledge the presence of the blonde at first. She crossed the room and pulled the chair back away from the table before she sank down into it, the file still in her hands.

"Penny, is it?" Ziva asked, though it was merely a formality. She knew this monster's name. She had memorized every word of her file. "Or would you prefer to be called Allyson?"

"Doesn't really matter, does it?"

"No, I suppose it does not. May I call you Penny then?"

"If you want. 'Course, Tony liked to call me Ally, so maybe you'd prefer that," she responded, a hint of amusement in her voice. It took every ounce of strength Ziva possessed to keep from slapping that smirk off of her face.

"How do you know Tony?" She asked, keeping her voice steady.

"Ah, we're old friends. We go _way_ back."

"Elaborate. Please."

"I'd rather not. Look lady, I don't have anything to say. Not to you, or to anyone else for that matter."

"Perhaps you would like to talk about your brother then, yes?" At the mention of the deceased man, Ziva detected a flicker of anger flash over Elzey's face.

"You shut your mouth about Jamie."

"Jamie, is it?" She made a show of opening the file and flipping through the pages. "Ah, yes. I see. Incarcerated at Jessup. Lovely facility, don't you think? Have you visited much?"

She watched the way the blonde's jaw clenched and unclenched, her eyes narrowing. "Shut. Up."

"He was a nasty little thing, was he not? A bad pod... no, that is not right... Oh you know... like a pea pod, no? What do you call it... Seed! A bad seed! Right from the beginning, yes?"

"Jamie was a good boy."

"Jamie murdered a four year old little girl. Kidnapped her right out of her bed in the middle of the night and then he raped and murdered her."

"Lies."

"Agent DiNizzo was the officer assigned to the case. It was _his _testimony that put your brother away, was it not?"

"That piece of shit got what he deserved!" She spat. "Do you know what they did to Jamie in prison? He didn't even last a year there!"

"Sounds to me like Jamie got what _he _deserved."

"You shut you **mouth**!" Penny/Allyson roared.

"You thought you would exact a little revenge on Agent DiNozzo, yes? You figured an eye for an eye would settle the score? You seduced him and once he was comfortable enough to let his guard down, you went in for the kill, yes?"

"He got what he deserved!" She repeated.

"I wonder if the prison guards said the same thing about Jamie as they looked on while he bled out in front of them?"

All at once, something inside Penny/Allyson snapped and she launched herself across the table, a snarl of rage bubbling from her throat. Her hands closed around Ziva's throat, until the Israeli's elbow crashed full force into her face, shattering her nose.

"Your plan would have been a good one," Ziva spat angrily as the blonde crumpled to the floor at her feet, "had you not overlooked the fact that Tony has several people willing to go to the same lengths and beyond as you did for your brother. You are lucky that Georgetown located you before I did, because I assure you, the pain you are feeling now would never be able to compare to what I would have done to you."

Stepping over the woman who writhed and moaned in agony on the floor as she held her shattered and bloody nose in her hand, Ziva exited the interrogation room, slamming the door behind her. Glancing up at the guard outside, she sneered maliciously before nodding to the room. "She is all yours. You may, however, want to consult a medic."

"What the hell happened?!" The guard asked incredulously.

Turning on her best innocent face, Ziva shrugged. "She attacked me. I was merely defending myself."

"She _attacked_ you? I'm going to need to see the playback on that for my report!"

Stepping out of the viewing room with a smirk on his face, Gibbs dropped a hand to Ziva's shoulder. "Technology these days. Would you believe McGee pressed the wrong button? I'm sorry Officer David, but we didn't get any of that on tape!"

Gawking incredulously at the two NCIS agents, the guard turned and headed into the interrogation room, but not before catching the conspiratorial wink Agent Gibbs gave Officer David.

**_A/N: Haha! Another chapter completed! Again, I'm so sorry this took forever and a day to finish up, but these last few weeks have been crazy for me! There's one chapter left after this one (an epilogue, so I should be able to finish that up pretty quickly) that I'm hoping to get out within the next few days, but no promises, okay? =D A huge thank you to everyone who has reviewed thus far, and please don't forget to drop me a line and let me know what you think of this chapter! =D_**


	6. Epilogue

_**First of all, let me apologize for the ridiculous amount of time that this chapter took to finish. Not that it is any excuse, but real life has nearly killed me this last month and I just didn't have the time or the desire to actually sit down and write. I apologize to all of you who have been faithful in your reviews and comments on this story.**_

_**This is the end, and as relieved that I am that it's over, I feel a sense of sadness that it's actually done. I really enjoyed writing this and I hope that all you enjoyed reading it. I've got a couple of projects I'm going to be working on in the near future, but I think I'm going to wait until they're fully completely before I post that way we don't have this same issue of waiting a million years for an update. Once more, I'm sorry and thank you to everyone who's supported me with kind words during the duration of "General Orders".**_

_**Much Love From,  
Lizzie  
**_

Epilogue

"Ziva?"

Jumping slightly at the sound of the voice, Ziva turned from her place at the window, forcing a smile in McGee's direction. "I did not hear you come up behind me. You must be getting better at snitching."

"Uh, actually Ziva, I think the term you're looking for is 'sneaking'. A snitch is someone who-- You know what, nevermind," McGee said as he held out a cup of coffee. "Thought you could use a little pick-me-up before we headed back to the hospital."

"Who is picking me up? I thought I was riding back with you and Gibbs?" She asked, confusion written on her face as she reached for the cup before she turned her attention back to the street below. "I suppose it does not matter," she said dismissively as she held the cup to her lips.

Coming up beside her, McGee glanced down and watched as the uniform assisted Tony's assailant into the backseat of the Georgetown Police car, the bright red stain on her shirt visible from their elevation. "You held back on her."

"Is that a question or a statement?"

"Statement. The question would be why."

"Out of respect for Gibbs. I do not think he would have enjoy the paperwork required had I actually killed her. Though the thought did cross my mind." Turning away from the window with a quiet sigh, she looked up at McGee with an impish grin. "It is a shame that the interrogation was not taped. Tony is a big fan of poultry fights, is he not?"

"P-poultry...?" McGee asked, his face wrinkling in confusion before the realization of what she was trying to say dawned on him. "Chick fights, Ziva."

"Toe-may-toe, toe-mah-toe," she responded with a casual shrug before she walked away from the window and back to her desk.

Shaking his head as he tried not to laugh, McGee took a sip of his coffee as Gibbs descended down the stairs, having just finished briefing the Director on Tony's condition."Let's roll, you two," he called as he pressed the button for the elevator, sliding in as the doors opened.

Not needing to be told twice, Ziva and McGee hurried after Gibbs, barely sliding in.

"Personally, I'd prefer mud wrestling," the older agent said, as the elevator doors closed, leaving his two subordinates gaping at each other, a mix of horror and intrigue written on their faces.

~*~

"How's he doing?"

Slightly startled at the sound of the voice, Abby turned, her eyes wide. Her rigid posture only relaxed when she recognized Nurse Amy. "He's doing much better," the Goth said as she turned her attention back to the sleeping man on the bed, her fingers curling through his hair once more as she massaged his scalp.

"His coloring looks good," Nurse Amy commented as she stepped closer to the bed, allowing a warm hand to rest against his forehead. "And his temperature seems to have come down quite a bit." Pulling her hand away from his forehead, Nurse Amy allowed her fingers to travel down his arm slowly before grasping his hand gently in hers. "I start my next shift at 0700," she said quietly to Abby. "I'll be back in to see him then."

With a nod, Abby allowed a small smile to form on her lips as she twisted a short lock of Tony's hair between his fingers. "Thank you for everything, Nurse Amy." A warm hand found her shoulder as Nurse Amy gave her a reassuring pat before she exited the room, her shoes clicking quietly against the floor as she went.

Looking over her shoulder to make sure she was alone, she stood and leaned over the bed, her face just inches away from his. "You wanna hear a secret, T? I think Nurse Amy likes you."

A soft, contented sigh escaped from his lips as her hand found its way to his scalp once more, massaging gently.

---

Stepping off the elevator on the ICU floor, Gibbs looked back at his two agents. "Going to find coffee. Find Abby. Shouldn't be hard. Tell her to go home, hit the rack for a bit."

"Uh... b-boss?"

"McGee?"

"I just... well, I don't exactly know that Abby's going to...you know, come quietly and all."

"Oh she will. She gives you any trouble, tell her she'll get more than a headslap."

And without waiting for a response, Ziva and McGee watched as Gibbs turned and headed into the other direction.

"He was not referring to...?"

"No, 'course not," McGee said with a shake of his head, trying to rid himself of the mental picture as he stepped through the heavy wooden doors, motioning for Ziva to do the same.

Arriving at Tony's room, they stepped inside and found Abby hunched over the bed, her head pillowed on her arms, her back rising and falling slowly as she slept.

Walking over to the bed, McGee placed a gently hand on her shoulder, shaking slightly. "Abby?"

"Mmm?" She sat up slowly, blinking the sleep from her eyes. "S'matter?"

"I havea message for you from Gibbs."

Reaching up to rub her eyes, she looked up at McGee. "You going to spit it out sometime today, Timmy or should I start guessing?"

Blushing slightly, McGee nodded. "Right. H-he uh... he said you need to go home. And hit the rack. Or else."

With a snort, she rolled her eyes and turned back to Tony's sleeping form. "Or else what?"

"Or else... you're going to get more than a headslap."

She turned quickly to face him, her eyes wide. "He actually _said_ that?!" She hissed. "But... But I can't leave Tony! What if he wakes up and he's all alone?"

"Actually Abby... I thought that I might stay with Tony. Just until you return," Ziva said quietly.

Hesitating slightly, Abby looked back at Ziva with a slight nod. "Alright," she said, standing up from the chair, stretching slightly. "But I'm not going to be gone long. And you," she said, pointing her finger at McGee, "you're buying me a Caf-Pow on the way back."

Turning back to her sleeping friend, Abby bent over the bed and pressed a gentle kiss to Tony's forehead before whispering softly. "I've got to go for a little while, T. But I promise I'll be back. Ziva's going to stay and keep you company, so you uh... have fun with that."

With a dramatic sigh, Abby straightened once more and grabbed McGee roughly by the arm, pulling him towards the door. "Lets go, Timmy. Ziva, I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Take your time," she said with a wave of her hand. "We will be just fine until you get back."

Watching with a small smile until Abby had dragged McGee out of sight, Ziva turned back to the bed and made her way over slowly before sinking down in the recently vacated chair.

She watched for a moment as Tony slept, his chest falling slightly with each breath he took. He looked so peaceful, nothing like before when the fever had taken over his body.

"You look much better now, Tony. You looked like death in a toaster the last time that I saw you."

"Warmed over," came the hoarse response from the bed as Tony forced his heavy eyes open. "It's warmed over. Not in a toaster."

"Same difference," Ziva responded with a casual shrug of her shoulders as a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "How long have you been laying there awake?"

"Long enough to know that McGee could probably claim spousal abuse against Abby," he responded as he shifted, a soft groan escaping him.

"Are you in a lot of pain?"

"Only when I breathe, Zee-vah," he responded dryly.

"Perhaps some more medication would help with that, yes?"

"Not time for that yet."

"I can make it be time, Tony," she assured him as she stood from her chair. "One moment alone with the nurses and I could get you--"

A quiet chuckle escaped him, though it ceased almost immediately as he reached for her hand to stop her from leaving. "It's fine. They'll be in soon to give me something. I can wait."

Looking down as his hand grasped hers, she gave a slight nod before she resumed her seat, noting that he did not release her.

Following her gaze to their clasped hands, a slight blush crept onto his cheeks as he released her. "Right. Sorry."

"You should not be," she said, reaching for his hand as he pulled away, this time locking their fingers. "I was very afraid for you, Tony," she admitted quietly, unable to meet his eyes. "I did not know if..."

"Hey, Ziva. We don't have to do this. Everything's fine. I'm fine."

"But you almost were not. I do not know if any of us would have been able to handle it if you had not... if you were not... I am not very good with words, apparently," she said, a hollow laugh escaping her.

"Ziva--"

Standing from the chair, she leaned over and pecked his cheek gently, her lips lingering a moment longer than necessary as she whispered softly in his ear. "I am glad that you are a fighter, Tony. I do not know what I would have done without you."

Standing in the doorway, completely unnoticed, Gibbs watched as Tony reached up, brushing Ziva's hair back from her face, his hand lingering as he tucked it behind her ear. With a smirk, he backed out of the room quietly, the two agents none the wiser to his presence.

He chuckled quietly to himself as he walked down the hallway, shaking his head.

"Everything okay, sir?" A nurse asked as he passed the station.

"Uh huh. Gonna have to rethink Rule Number 12, though," he commented, ignoring the confused look as he stepped out of the intensive care unit.

~*~

Six Weeks Later...

"McGee... may I ask what you are doing?" Ziva asked as she stepped into the bullpen, dropping her bag behind her desk. McGee straightened up, a pinkish tint coloring his cheeks as he dropped Tony's stapler.

"Well... It's uh.. Tony's first day back and... I was just... you know... making sure everything was in order... and stuff."

Raising an eyebrow, Ziva smirked. "Ah huh. I see. And this would have nothing to do with the fact that you know Tony would murder you if he knew you had helped yourself to his possessions while he was gone?"

"Of course not," he said, laughing nervously.

"I did not think so. Very well. Carry on then," she said as she sank down in her chair, turning her head at the sound of heavy footsteps behind her.

"Is he here yet?" Abby asked as she teetered into the squad room in her heavy black boots, her pigtails higher than normal. "Is he? Where is he? He should have been here by now, right?"

"He's still got five minutes before he's actually late," McGee reminded her, eyeing her warily as she slurped on her Caf-Pow. "And how many of those have you had this morning?"

"Six. But in my defense, I woke up really, really early. Like... fourish."

"And why exactly did you do that?"

"McGee!" Abby cried, punching him in the shoulder. "Because Tony comes back today!"

"You just saw him yesterday for lunch!"

"That's not the same, Timmy," she responded with a scowl before perching herself on Tony's desk as she took another long drink of her Caf-Pow. "And stop being hateful before I tell Tony you tried to sell his Mighty Mouse Stapler to Ducky."

---

"You sure you're up to this today?"

"Hell yes! I've been going crazy at home, boss. Six weeks was a little excessive, don't you think?"

"Had to have you back at a hundred percent, Tony. Couldn't take a chance bringing you back before you were ready."

"I'm ready."

"We'll see, DiNozzo," Gibbs responded dryly as the elevator doors opened with a ding.

Three heads turned simultaneously at the sound, the two agents and the Forensic Goth watching eagerly as Gibbs stepped out first, followed by Tony.

Shoving her Caf-Pow into McGee's hands, Abby launched herself across the bullpen and into Tony's arms with a squeal. "Welcome back Tony!"

A laugh escaped him as he stumbled backwards with the force of the assault, his hands immediately wrapping around his friend. "Jeez Abs. I just saw you yesterday!"

"That's what I tried to tell her," McGee mumbled, though he grinned brightly at his partner.

"Shut up Timmy!" Abby ordered before pulling away from Tony, grinning broadly at him. "I missed you! I mean, I saw you yesterday but I mean I missed you at work because it's been really boring without you. Even Gibbs missed you, but I'm sure he'll never admit it because he's Gibbs and he wouldn't be Gibbs if he went around telling people that he missed them, but he did and I did, and McGee and Ziva did too and we're so glad--"

"Breathe, Abby. Oxygen is necessary for sustaining life."

"Right," she said with a nod as she took a deep breath. "Anyway, welcome back."

"Welcome back Tony," McGee chimed in as Tony stepped farther into the bullpen, a wide grin on his face.

"Hey thanks Probie. It's good to be back."

"You did not enjoy your time off then Tony?" Ziva asked, a rare smile on her face, amusement evident in her eyes.

"Eh well, you know. Some aspects were better than others," he responded with a playful wink before he turned back to his desk. "Hey! Who moved all my stuff around?!"

"Uh... What do you mean, Tony?" McGee asked, the blush returned to his cheeks.

"Mighty Mouse goes on the left side, McGee," Gibbs commented dryly as he passed his bickering agents, a grin on his face as his agents settled back into the sometimes childish, yet comfortable routine that he was used to.


End file.
